Alert: From the Office of Representative James D. Gailliard
STANDING COMMITTEES
2019-2020

  • HEALTH
  • APPROPRIATIONS
  • APPROPRIATIONS EDUCATION
  • EDUCATION K-12
  • HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL SAFETY
Advocating for inclusive policies for Constituents in Nash County-Rocky Mount
The Myth of Police Department Defunding

Friends,
 
 
What you are hearing or reading is simply not true. I never signed a pledge to defund the police. I do not support defunding police departments. As a matter of fact, I have been endorsed by the state's largest law enforcement organization – The North Carolina Police Benevolence Association.
 
For the many of you who are not aware, I have a 24 year old son who will graduate in October from Nash County Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). Therefore, defunding the police is far from my intention. It breaks my heart that when partisan talking points are released most often, people don't ask or fact check before jumping to conclusions, but again that's what it's designed to do - further divide us.  
 
My support of law enforcement has been unquestionable as has been my support to our community. For the record, I signed the “America’s Goals” pledge to commit to work towards shared goals for good jobs, affordable quality healthcare, investing in children, people over special interest, equal opportunity, and infrastructure investment. These goals have measurable outcomes such as better schools, higher life expectancy and equal pay. America’s Goals is about results to improve lives and does not include any rhetoric to defund the police. The America’s Goals pledge is not an endorsement of any policy position. Apparently, saving tax payer dollars and investing in proven strategies to make people safer and law enforcement more supported is not embraced by everyone.
 
I caution all of you to not be surprised by partisan tactics as this was prevalent in the 2018 elections. We should always fact check and not get distracted by partisan failures to acknowledge or endorse policies that support basic human needs such as healthcare for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians and equal opportunities to live a healthy lifestyle.
 
I do hope we can all learn to work together to create an equitable community for everyone. That has certainly been what I have worked daily on since being sent to Raleigh by the residents of Nash County. I thank you all for your continued support and recommendations as we strive together to make Nash County, the city of Rocky Mount and Eastern North Carolina a better place to live!
Representative James D. Gailliard
committed to:
The   People of Nash County-Rocky Mount
Progressive solutions for Rural Issues
Principles that foster Common Sense Legislation